Endless Summer 2019 - Zerith Flavour
by sanctum-c
Summary: Prompt fills for the Endless Summer week on Tumblr plus an extra fic to setup the non-Crisis Core circumstances
1. First Meeting

Muggy day in Midgar. The air remained stiflingas night fell. At least there was a chance of a breeze on the Upper Plate; already a few stirrings of wind shifting litter around the plaza in Sector Eight. But when the breeze died, the heat followed instantly. And there was little more Aeris could do about it; her skirt already opened high on her legs, the cut of her dress already low. She could ditch the jacket, but the musculature in her arms might diminish the flower girl persona.

No. She could suffer a bit longer. A few more hours and the plaza would be clearer and the chance of selling anything would be baseless optimism. Sweat beaded her forehead, but she still smiled and played her part, trying not to shuffle closer to doorways where stray blasts of air conditioning washed over her, or think too much about the fan in her bedroom, the socks full of rice in the freezer.

Wait. The plaza was getting noisier, the crush of people not diminishing or varying as expected. The noise was increasing, a growing roar of questions, speculations and worries. A chill ran down her spine. People were too confused, too unsure for there to be something planned here she had overlooked.

She barely smiled at the next customer, they too distracted to realise something was wrong, her too wary to get into character. Get to the station and hopefully away from this – whatever this was.

Her slighter size let her slip in and between chattering groups, though others were trying to move like her, streams of people pushing past others, heading for the road into Sector One. Shinra infantry ahead. Nothing to worry about; her fake ID was still valid (if implausible; Lunafreya Nox Fleuret). Red-suited commanders more of a worry. What was going on?

A murmur through the crowd; an odd mixture of hostility and elation. The whispers passed over Aeris's head. SOLDIER. SOLDIER was here. Where though? Nowhere in sight – at least not yet. Hard to spot in a hurry; look for the glowing eyes, or check for some overly elaborate sword? Was it Sephiroth?

Others in the crowd certainly leapt to the conclusion; the famed elite. Aeris elbowed her way past another group, still moving however slowly. The murmurs would have started with Sephiroth. This was something else. Sephiroth was for big events or seemingly to end conflicts. For him to be here was troublesome. For other, nameless SOLDIERs to be here, was much more alarming.

Chatter seemed divided on where they were, flashes of purple, black and blue seized on as possible location. The crowd was stalling more and more, Aeris fighting past people no longer moving. A murmur; SOLDIER right there. Eyes ringed with Mako met hers and moved on, surveying the crowd.

SOLDIER. He had black spiky hair, the hilt of over-sized sword over his shoulder. He was looking across the plaza. Not at her. Good. She followed his gaze; another man, his hair cropped short, a similar sword hilt protruding over his shoulder. Same glowing eyes.

What were they doing? The nearby SOLDIER blocked the route out of the plaza. Aeris would have expected cold indifference, but instead found an expression of pained discomfort. Some murmurs to someone out of sight, casting around and finding no solution. Odd.

Some disruption behind her, angered voices, panic and terror. Something was coming closer and it was not prepared to wait. Almost to the front of the crowd, and still with infantry and a SOLDIER to deal with. No plan to get out of this but she could not stay.

His voice chilled her. Until today she might have insisted she could never remember what Hojo sounded like; she had avoided dwelling on him as much as possible. And yet, his voice seemed to cut through her, her teeth on edge, spine shivering. She had to run. Oh, to whack him with her staff would be wonderful, but would not going to end well. Not with infantry close by. Not with the SOLDIERs.

Aeris shoved forward between the waiting people, ignoring angry retorts and threats. Another shove and she was between the crowd and the infantry. "Get back," one of them said, his voice a snarl. Could she hit him and scramble past without retaliation? She dithered-

Hojo snapped something, calling for assistance. The infantry pushed past and into the crowd. Leaving her with the SOLDIER. A glance, another. "Are you okay?"

Another outburst from Hojo, a struggle somewhere behind. Shouting. Aeris shook her head. The SOLDIER licked his lips and stepped to one-side. "Quick." She darted past, out of the light and into the dark. "Wait."

The SOLDIER straightened up, Aeris pressed against the wall, his body blocking the light. A flash of white. "Any sign of him?" Hojo's voice so loud, so close. Aeris closed her eyes.  
"Nope," the SOLDIER said. Aeris held her breath.

Hojo muttered something. "Keep everyone in. He's in here somewhere."

Nothing but people shuffling, the outburst before calming, the crowd annoyed but quieter. She was outside the cordon. Not far from the station. Whether the trains were running was another matter, but she was at least free. She let out her breath.

"Bad experience with Hojo?" The infantry back in place behind the SOLDIER, their attention on the plaza.

"You could say that." SOLDIERs didn't know it seemed. Good. "T-thank you."

"Wish I could do more, but orders and orders." He shrugged. "I figure one person slipping through can't hurt." Another shake of his head. "All this for a lab tech he got suspicious of."

"Hojo?" The SOLDIER nodded. "Reckons one of them's trying to sell out to Wutai. Sorry you got caught up in all that." He glanced back towards the plaza. "Are you going to be okay? Want to keep an eye on the situation. Make sure it doesn't get out of hand."

"I'll be fine." And she would. Monsters and people she could cope with. Hojo was something else. She dithered again. "You're not what I expected from a SOLDIER."

He grinned. "I am the only one I know of who wants to quit."

She frowned. "Why don't you?"

A falter in his smirk. He pointed a thumb at his chest. "Company property. Never made that clear before and now-" He shook his head. "My problem."

"Didn't get your name?"

"Zack. Zack Fair."

An impulse. Stupid. But it came again. He had already helped her, already proven different. To perceptions of SOLDIERs, to Sephiroth, to Shinra in general. "Say hi if you're in Sector Five." He blinked at her. "If you get a chance." She hefted the basket. "Just ask for the flower girl."

He nodded slowly. "I… I think I might."

She smiled and headed for the station. Likely she would never see him again. SOLDIERs were rare in Midgar anyway. But if he did drop by; she wouldn't mind seeing him again.


	2. An Absurd Prospect Leads to Ice Cream

Aeris hurried out of the post-office, this week's mail resting on top of the unsold flowers. First glance indicated mostly bills – unsurprising. But there amongst the others was a postcard; she grinned. Battered and a little crumpled, with a familiar, pristine scene of Costa del Sol on the front. 'To R, Will be there on the 26th. From Seifer A'. The postcards were always quietly thrilling; the clandestine code and obfuscation of the message.

Rinoa Heartilly would shortly meet Seifer Almasy. And if there were any questions, then Aeris would insist the card came to the wrong address. Certainly no one could be coming to meet her. She did not know any Seifers. Shame about the short notice; seemed like the post was as abysmal as always. The post-mark indicated the card posted on the 19th. Not that far Junon. At least she had something of a heads up; reason enough not to head back to the church quite yet.

A visit from Zack was always appreciated. All he would say was that he had made some requests at Shinra for deployment to Midgar and the surrounding areas more often. Reportedly this was less prestigious and rarely desired; he attracted some attention for the unusual request. Processed after a delay and he spent something like ten days a month in the city, splitting his time between duties and visits to Sector Five.

Dating a SOLDIER was an absurd prospect. But after getting to know the SOLDIER things had changed. Tseng had not graced Mom's door with his presence in months now. She never had to duck out the way of a group of Shinra troops and the company's forces were rarely seen in this sector. They were still here – in some capacity. Not everyone who worked for Shinra lived above plate, and others – like Zack – took the opportunity to slum on occasion. No one wanted sighting frequenting Wall Market of course.

Life was freer. Still the burden of the metal sky, but going to the Upper Plate was no horrible risk any more. People waved her through checkpoints, her new fake ID (Quistis Trepe) suffering no more scrutiny than most other passengers. Logically someone should put two and two together with the flower girl, but the cold hands of Shinra never descended upon her. She even dared to sell in the plaza in Sector Eight; right on Shinra's door-step.

Little enough text on the card as it was, but Aeris still re-read it. Hopefully they would run into each other today without too many delays. Or she could try and buy a PHS and make arrangements easier. The price was coming down, but buying one would still take a nasty chunk out of the incoming household budget. Maybe if she ran into that theatre-star again-

"Aeris!" Zack jogged up to her, plastic convenience store bag in one hand, his presence reinforcing reality for a moment. As much as Shinra no longer breathed down her neck, old habits died hard. Like the panic gripping her when someone shouted her name out in the open. Few enough Shinra sympathisers here, and no current reward for her whereabouts. Plus, it was not as if she was unknown in the sector. Being able to sell flowers tended to attract attention in Midgar. Zack at least bowed to circumstance. When they met he wore a purple SOLDIER uniform, a gigantic sword strapped across his back.

Here there was no sword; no uniform. Dark pullover, dark pants, sunglasses and a baseball cap. Like something right out of a modern spy-thriller, and almost begging to draw attention. Perhaps better he lean into it. The sunglasses were weird enough in the gloomy city, but there were few other convenient options to hide the tell-tale sign of a SOLDIER. He'd tried coloured contacts, but he could barely see any long after a day's use. This would have to do.

"Hi." She wrapped her arm around him, hugging him close. A momentary intensification of Mako taint. He stepped back and held up the bag.

"I brought ice cream."

Inside were cardboard two pots with plastic lids; Zack had splashed out for the good ice cream. Too expensive for the weekly shop, and too much for a single-serving. A few shops allegedly carried it down in the slums, but they were always sold out by the time Aeris got there. The Upper Plate was less limited. "Always wanted to try this flavour."

"No time like the present." He scanned the area. "Hey, uh-" A glance to the ground. "Where'd be good to hang out?"

Dating was one thing; Zack coming back to her house and Mom meeting him was another thing entirely. Like the church; how much he knew and how much she could keep from him remained unknowns – at least so far. Earlier days and there remained the faint possibility this was some absurd Shinra sting operation. Not really Hojo or the Turks's kind of style, but once the idea took root, it was hard to shift.

A shame; the church roof would have been tempting. Or find somewhere on the Upper plate or- The postcard evoked images of the kind of holiday only seen on TV. "How about outside?"

"Outside?" Confusion for a moment. "Oh out the gate?" He grimaced. "Not great out there."

"No." She started heading out towards the rim of the city. "No water, might not be any sun, but there's sand."

"There's sand," he agreed falling into step beside her. Another glance around. "As good a place as any I guess."

He asked about what she'd been up to since they last saw each other; Aeris related the big sales and skimmed over the bad days. They both enthusiastically discussed the TV shows they both watched, Zack seemingly picking up on tiny details in the picture hidden on the tiny, flickery screen Aeris peered at. He would be here for another four days before he was due back in Junon. Time, as always, to make the most of things.

The sky was unsurprisingly overcast outside the city. Little wind fortunately, and no monsters in view. Hard to say how long it had been since the barren landscape last saw rain, but the ground was at least dry. Aeris sat down, her back pressed against the city's outer wall. Zack passed her one tub of ice cream; the inside was a gooey mess. Zack swore. "Sorry." He looked at her with a pleading expression. "It took me longer to get down than I thought and-"

Aeris slurped from her tub and he stopped talking. "It's fine. Melty ice-cream is also good." She grinned at him and drank again.

"If you're sure?" He prodded his tub with a spoon but soon gave it up for lost, toasting Aeris with his tub and swigging a measure of ice-cream. "Okay, maybe you are onto something."

"Of course." They traded tubs, the empty landscape spread far ahead. However much she strained her eyes, Aeris could not make out even the barest hint of green. Zack assured her it was out there, that beyond the wasteland was grass and nature. Blue skies and the ocean. Oh, to be able to travel the world. In a former naïve moment, she considered trying to enlist to SOLDIER for the same perks. The notion did not last long; delivering herself back into the company's clutches was a terrible idea. As too was joining such a militaristic organisation; she might well travel the world, but the time would not be her own – and she could receive orders to kill.

A shiver ran through her; Zack shifted beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. She leant against him, carefully replacing the lid of the tub and planting it in the sand. More for later. For now; she hooked her finger into his collar and pulled Zack closer. Delightful; he tasted like ice-cream.


	3. Date Night

The most recent postcard from Zack was different. This post card did not tell her Seifer would meet Rinoa on a certain date. Instead, Seifer requested Rinoa's presence at the Sector Eight train station this evening at around eight o'clock. An immediate worry at the change; was this the mythril jaws of the trap now around her, and the time tonight the point where it would snap shut upon her?

No. Think. Zack was dependable. A subtle trap was not Shinra's way; when (never If. She knew until she left Midgar for good, Shinra would reach for her from time to time) they next tried to draw her back in, the invitation would come via concealed force (Tseng) or at the barrel of a gun. Using a SOLDIER to retrieve her would be an absurd waste. Whatever Zack had in mind this evening was not something to be fearful of.

But what would it be? He knew better than to take her to some fancy restaurant. Even if she could take a good part of the meal home as leftovers, the cost of those dinners were outrageous contrasted with her home's food budget. The same went for theatre, opera or music. A cinema trip would be more palatable; the price difference was not so appalling – and there was more comfort to be had in the still soft seating. With air conditioning, a quiet audience and no sticky floors. Cinema trips in the slums always required a certain amount of psychological preparation.

Sometime since Aeris had last been to the cinema; what films would be on show? The run-down cinema in Sector Five normally got the new films at a two week remove from one of the Upper plate venues. Reportedly the Sector One cinema got films at the same time as its Upper plate twin, but too far to go regularly. She left the flower basket at home after changing, fake ID card clutched in one hand.

Odd feeling to be riding the train to the Upper Plate like this. No flowers to sell, no concerns about how good business would be today, how long had it been since anyone's last pay day. As effective ruler of Midgar, Shinra's finances dominated everything; all smaller companies within the city limits operated on similar time-scales. It made the calculation easier and at least today was at about the three-quarter mark of the month – a time when her customers would be more careful with their money. Not much to lose on this trip.

Zack was sensible enough not to call out her name. Sensible enough to not acknowledge her much when she alighted from the train. Also not drawing attention with his clandestine slum outfit; more casual and no sunglasses. SOLDIERs were a common sight here, though not as unremarkable as in Junon. Zack caught her gaze, smiled and ducked out of the station. Aeris followed, buoyed along by the crush of people past the guards. Zack took her hand and guided her into a side-alley as the crowd thinned; not far from her normal destination in Sector Eight.

"Hi."

"Hi." She pressed both hands against his chest, rising up on her toes to meet his lips. Better when nothing covered his eyes. Always impossible not to stare into them.

"Got a surprise for you." He smiled, convenience store bag with packaged confectionery and bottled water behind his back. Even well-paid SOLDIERs balked at the high cost of food in cinemas. But Zack did not lead her towards the brightly lit cinema not far from the Shinra building. Certainly a surprise. But neither did he head for the smaller, art-house cinema; an older looking building almost a distant cousin to the place her flowers grew. If such a notion was not absurd and borderline impossible.

Instead, Zack lead her to the opposite side of the Shinra building and through a dilapidated door, the useless rusted lock offering no resistance. "Not much further."

Curious. He clambered up the echoing metal fire escape on the exterior of one of the numerous office buildings adjacent to Shinra's headquarters. Where was this going? Nowhere? There was nothing noteworthy at the top. Besides a blanket and two cushions. Aeris kept the smile on her face when he glanced at her. "Surprise!"

"It's-" Nothing. An opportunity to spend time with Zack was always good, but why had this necessitated her coming up from the relative safety of the slums? What had he been thinking? She fought desperately for words.

Oddly this did not seem to concern Zack. He held up one hand and pointed up. "Look up."

"Up-?" The heavens were open above her. For years the sky was not something to consider much about. Sometimes blue in the gaps between Sectors Four and Five, or Five and Six. Sometimes heavy and grey when she was on the upper plate. Sometimes it was easy to forget the sky as a concept and instead consider nothing beyond the floating plates.

Here was something else. Pinpricks of light scattered across the dark sky, everything larger, wider than normal. She did not look away as Zack spoke. "Spur of the moment. I found out we were going to have clear weather for a change, and you said you'd never seen a clear night and- What do you think?"

"Amazing." She could only murmur.

"Sorry it's kind of cheap, but I brought snacks." She followed him to the blanket and they lay back, heads on the cushions to stare up at the stars. "You have to see them outside of Midgar; the light pollution hides so much. Out in the wilderness-" He sighed. "So many more stars."

Aeris decided one day she would see the stars again – this time from outside Midgar.


	4. A Trip to Costa del Sol (Sort of)

"It's a surprise." Zack would not let slip anything further of his plan for the day. His postcard had said nothing outside the usual, but when he caught up with her, he had a number of bags slung over his shoulder and a furtive smile.

Aeris walked alongside him, trying to second guess the destination. They headed away from the central area of Sector Five. Nothing to draw from the direction; they had spent time all over the sector depending on the day. He did not pause at the church, did not give it a second glance. A secret still maintained. As much as they had spent some time at the edge of the city, for it to be their destination once again already surprised to some degree.

The weather was at least warm, though the sky was grey, sections of the Upper plate jutting out and over the dark sand. Zack grinned, and unpacked the contents of his bags. "I got the idea when I remembered what you said the first time I sent you a postcard."

The first time? Something about Costa del Sol presumably. Wanting to go there? "This is not Costa del Sol."

"True." Zack withdrew a beach umbrella and slotted a pole into the end. "But I am aiming for the next best thing."

Confusing. Zack put the umbrella up and pushed it into the sand. A short distance away, he setup a near identical umbrella. "You know there's no sun, right?"

He shrugged. "Details. This is the beach experience." His expression faltered. "Mostly." Another bag contained two folding chairs; he pried them open and sat one under each umbrella. "Please have a seat."

Aeris perched on the fabric chair, the umbrella hiding much of the city's overhang. Behind was the city wall; ahead was the seemingly endless barren wasteland. Still, there was a hint of accuracy. Sand underfoot. The beach umbrella. Might be missing the ocean- Zack had an inflatable pool; the kind sold in toy-shops when the weather got warmer. He inflated it with huge breaths and placed it on the sand. "I didn't bring my bathing costume."

"I didn't bring any water so-" Another shrug. "You don't have to change." Aeris nodded. Zack was already wearing sunglasses; he handed her a pair. "For the sun." Wearing them made the dingy wasteland dingier still, but it was the thought. Almost like the more exotic moments on the various soaps. Lounging back under the bright sun, wearing little, skin glistening and darkening while intrigue happened. She grinned.

"You put a lot of thought into this."

A pleased smile from him. "Might have been working out the plausibility for a while now." He pulled out two tall glasses; filled both with ice and the contents of a can. The contents soon included a straw, a miniature paper version of the beach umbrella and a lime. Aeris took her glass and Zack settled into his chair. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Aeris raised her glass and sipped at the drink. Fruit flavouring with an almost undetectable hint of alcohol. Tasty. "So, this is the life?"

"More or less. Doubt you want to go sunbathing, but I have something close to the other Costa del Sol cocktails with me. And you can sort of go for a swim."

The pool offered little beyond the chair, but it would not hurt to commit to the illusion. "I think I shall." She couldn't help the giggle and picked her way across the sand. Odd to do this without water; she resorted to planting her glass in the sand and scrabbling into something approaching a comfortable position, the inflated rubber giving way when she put too much weight on it. Leaning back offered her mostly a view of the Upper plate. She sat up straighter so she could look at Zack. He raised his glass again; she mirrored the motion.

All too soon the pool lost most of its appeal. Aeris heaved up and headed back for her chair. Zack glanced around. "Should have brought some beach games. Maybe if we try this again." And no monsters nearby. They were lucky nothing was in sight. "Hungry?" She was. Zack opened another bag and retrieved a shallow box; one side a grill. Some fumbling with matches and he set something alight inside. "Beach barbecue."

She abandoned her chair and settled down beside him as he cooked the various burgers and other food other the tiny heat source. When Aeris closed her eyes, she could almost imagine being there. On the sand, food cooking outside in an inefficient way and with her boyfriend. He had done as good as he could. A delightful day at the beach.


	5. A Selfish Prayer to the Planet

Mom was reading mail when Aeris got home; she put down the letter, queried Aeris about her day and invited her to have a seat. "I have to go to Kalm for a few days."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Well, no. Not really" She heaved a sigh. "My sister in law has passed away."

A succession of questions stilled on the tip of Aeris's tongue. She had not known. Years had passed since the strange moment, the knowing Mom's wife had returned to the Lifestream. A stranger's last words tumbling from Aeris's lips, Mom sobbing days later when the official confirmation arrived. She remembered well enough; and from her expression, some of the same questions occurred to her too. Not hard to work out where the difference lay; Mom had not mentioned any other living family in all these years. "Oh, Mom." Aeris reached across the table and Mom took her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." She gripped her hand firmly. "I-" She blinked at Aeris. "I made a promise years ago. To keep you safe." Aeris nodded. "And I never wanted to risk anything…"

"They don't know about me, do they?"

Mom nodded. "I'm sorry."

Aeris shook her head. "It's okay." She sat back in her chair. "And me going along is going to be complicated." Another nod from Mom. "I'll be okay here."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." If Shinra came for her, she would hide in the church, run to hide among the crowds in Wall Market. And never tell Mom about any of it. "You should be with the rest of your family."

Mom darted around the table and hugged her. "I really am sorry. I sort of wish I had told them. Given you more of a family." Aeris gripped Mom's arm. "I still could…"

"Not sure a funeral is the best time to reveal a surprise daughter." Aeris smiled up at Mom and she smiled back. "Maybe another time."

"Okay." Mom swiped at her eyes and took her seat again. "I'll go alone, the day after tomorrow."

The day after tomorrow; Aeris walked Mom to the station, waved her off and spent the day selling flowers. Same as any other day. But the house was dark when she returned home. Mom was not at the stove or watching the TV. The house was silent. Almost silent; odd creaks and tiny noises as something shifted and settled. Little environmental noises she never remembered before.

This was fine. The freezer had enough food and Mom promised to call when she could. She would be in Kalm by now and should be ringing anytime. Chores to do, food to cook. The quiet was almost oppressive; Aeris clicked the TV on in the absence of any other option. Maybe she could go visit a neighbour. Maybe visit Undyne and Alphys. No; they had some big night planned tonight. Best not to disturb them.

Mom called half-way through dinner, not lingering on the line for long; more apologies, a few titbits of family gossip – a family Aeris knew existed but had never dwelled on. An oversight on her part. A different family tree existed spreading into her past. One she had some chance of learning more of; unlike her own, for which the branch below her was a singular name and anything beyond long since lost.

If only she could call Zack. Between them they had agreed the risks were too great – not least with Shinra in charge of the phone system. Who knew what gossip and secrets they extracted from those who never suspected such a risk existed? So no way to reach out and invite him here, play at living together or kiss in comfort and privacy. She could hope – against hope – 'Seifer' might send another postcard within the next few days, but chances were not good.

Aeris curled up on the sofa, the washing up done, the laundry hung up, the TV loud up for comfort, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. A postcard might arrive tomorrow; he might by chance be in the area. He could come by the house, a little nervous, but more assured when finding Mom wasn't here. Invite him somewhere new, let slip this secret too.

And more to do; instead of marking time wandering Sector Five, or wandering Sector Eight on the Upper Plate, they could cook together. Do the washing up together. Sit down for a proper meal together. Curl up and watch TV. Make-out. Aeris grinned and pulled the blanket tighter. Make out a lot. A controlled environment with no one to interfere or intrude. Fewer reasons to stop kissing.

And perhaps the kissing would go further, hands exploring and caressing away from publicly acceptable areas. Until- Until Aeris would take him by the hand and lead him upstairs. No reason to avoid the loose floorboards, no reason for stealth. They would fall onto Aeris's bed, the bed springs squeaking and the kissing would turn into something more.

A prayer to the Planet; not something she often did any more, but her mother observed a ritual for as long as she could remember back under Shinra's thumb. A wish, a hope for the future. Often selfish; her mother prayed for escape. But other times the prayer was for the Planet, for damage elsewhere to stop. Aeris clasped her hands and made a selfish wish. That both a post-card and Zack Fair would arrive tomorrow.


	6. SOLDIER Spycraft

Somewhere along the line, a black-haired SOLDIER received orders to keep an eye on her. This was new and concerning. For the most part if was Tseng or Rude. For reasons never clear, it seemed paramount she return to Shinra of her own free will – hence Tseng's irregular visits and attempts to appeal to her better judgement.

As if she could ever acquiesce to such a request. But there was doubt there, something not gelling. Why was the invitation extended? Unless her mother had lied for as long as she had known her, Shinra offered them her no choice when she was under their control. Nor had they taken their escape well – something Aeris remembered all too well.

Perhaps some shifting of power within the company? Hojo no longer untouchable or his decisions unquestionable? Perhaps a different focus? Or to lull her into a false sense of security. The Turks had blended into the background of her life; if she was feeling sufficiently petty, Aeris made a point to wave if not try and sell them flowers. Rude sometimes bought some; Tseng tended to move on hastily. A norm. The SOLDIER was something new. And perhaps a different tactic. The nature and skills of SOLDIERs were not entirely clear, but it was unlikely she could do anything if he decided she was to go back involuntarily.

He kept his distance as befitted a new spy, but - unlike the Turks - made a blatant, if token, effort to blend in with his surroundings. The Mako ring in his pupils would be blatant enough, though if he successfully hid them, he still ferried around an absurd training sword as seen in recruitment videos for the division. A few weeks of the SOLDIER taking turns in the spying rotation with the rest of the Turks (did they resent his presence? Was he part of some power-play within Shinra? Had the Turks requested his help?) and she did not notice him so much.

A quick chiding. That was dangerous. Let them become part of every-day life and she would stop paying so much attention. Then they could strike. Keep on noting their presence. Maybe expect it, maybe not worry if they were out of position, but at least note all those keeping an eye on her. And perhaps the SOLDIER would buy some flowers. How well paid were they? Interesting question. All the adverts made a thing about duty and loyalty and glory, but precious little on active material gains. Maybe everyone who joined up was content to have over-developed strength and supernaturally good low-light vision.

On the SOLDIER's next surveillance day she wandered right towards him, the frown on his face shifting to full-blown panic when he realised how close she was. He took off at a brisk pace, head jerking involuntarily when she called out to see if he wanted a flower. He upped his pace and vanished off into the slums. Curious. She repeated the same tactic twice more before he learned and remained wary, quick to flee if she came too close.

Toying with SOLDIERs was fun. Over time he seemed to become more responsible for keeping an eye on her. But not in the sense of some kind of detective or spy; she knew who he was and he was well aware of that. He tagged along when she took a train up the Upper Plate, ensuring he was at least two carriages away from her. If she ever felt particularly vindictive (could happen on a bad day), she might pursue him to the last carriage and leave him trapped with no escape. Another time maybe.

She kept him on his toes for the next month and got on with her life. He was much like the Turks; attention focused on her. Perhaps what lead to the change. The Turks, while ever watchful, could cope in the slums. The SOLDIER was not trained in the same kind of spycraft. It took some time for the background noise to make sense. The odd growl of some monster in the slums was much like anything else; an every-day hazard she spent little time worrying about.

But this growl was aggressive and close at hand. Aeris gripped her staff closer. The monster, whatever it was, lay on the other side of a trash pile. An impact and something tumbled over the barrier to sink deep into the ground nearby. A SOLDIER training sword. Likely his. The SOLDIER was in danger. Life in the slums held to the typical conviction that heads should stay down and survival was paramount. This went doubly if any Shinra employee suffered a monster attack. She should walk on.

Instead, Aeris skirted around the trash. The black-haired SOLDIER sprawled on his back, his hands grasping the creature's neck, keeping its snapping jaws away. Perhaps it had surprised him. Perhaps he was more of a rookie than expected. Maybe thrown out of SOLDIER? In any case, legendary SOLDIER strength had not granted him an easy escape from his current predicament.

What was she doing? Helping out someone in need. Aeris darted forward, staff brought down onto the creature's back. That got its attention, the SOLDIER now forgotten in favour of a new, brighter-coloured morsel. Remain calm. Remember Mom's lessons. The creature lunged and Aeris cracked it on the side of its head. Another snarl, another lunge and another metallic clunk when her staff made contact. It snarled once more and darted backward when she swept her staff down in a wide arc. Another gesture and the creature fled into the shadows.

Aeris reached down to the SOLDIER. "Hi. Rumour has it I make you nervous."


	7. Heat Wave

The heat wave continued, the slums suffering in the intense heat. Temperature and weather was often not much of a concern beneath the plates, but if the weather hit certain extremes, it lumbered them with far too much to deal with. Midgar was often warm as it was; Mako leaks, fumes clustering beneath the plates, but this was something else. The heat was oppressive and sapped strength.

Cold showers and cold baths sounded great right up the point Aeris needed to get under the water. In those moments, the cold became unbearable and no matter how hot the world was, sitting in cold water was too much. How did people cope with the ocean? Must be milder. Odd though, given any amount of heat seemed too much.

Her dress was too long. Aeris left her jacket off when she left the house, the air temperature shifting only a little between the interior and exterior. Mom had no air conditioning; not a huge surprise. Few in the slums could afford such extravagances. Those above them would be enjoying both a clearer path for heat to escape and artificial chill inside. The original plan was to check on the church garden, but she managed a few staggering steps towards the market before reconsidering. The heat was everywhere.

She needed something else if nothing else. And keeping her skirt lifted all day was no option. No way to roll it and pinning it was going to look odd. First things first; get something new to wear which did not make her feel like she was cooking inside them. Slick with sweat and barely got anywhere. People lounged and tried desperate measures to keep cool. The convenience store was selling out of iced drinks as fast as they could make them. The girl behind the counter of the run-down clothes shop was fanning her face with a paper fan.

Okay. Something thin for one thing. And short. The slums never adhered to seasons or fashion in the same way as those above. Why bother when the weather was something only affecting you if you strayed into the area below a plate gap? The resulting mishmash of styles and clothes meant the store would often surprise with what it had available. Her dress an impulsive buy a few years earlier; her jacket a find two months prior.

She had avoided the truly bright coloured clothing on a nearby rack for a few reasons. For one it was such a contrast to what she typically wore and not to her taste. For another it was a relatively recent acquisition and heavily marked up. But. The heat. The t-shirts thin and soft. There was a wide-array of shorts – some with multiple pockets. Shame about the garish colours; trending from neon green to a near glowing orange. A few boasted stylised, out of context of photos of what might be Costa del Sol and other exotic places over sea.

One more check out the door. Still roasting out there. A handful of t-shirts for her small enough not to swamp her, but large enough to not feel constricting. A handful of shorts. And an idea. The sizes ranged from tiny to enormous; not hard to find Zack's size among them. This t-shirt for him; the Costa del Sol themed one in pale yellow. Somewhat subdued and hopefully not enough to put him off wearing it with her. A pair of longer, knee-length shorts.

Hurrying home was not an option after. Instead, Aeris trudged with single-minded devotion, wishing she had bothered to buy a drink from somewhere first. Maybe not; the clothing had wiped out most of her money – and drinkable water was going for a premium in the current climate. Mercifully she made it back at last and resisted the urge to lie on the cooler floor downstairs. Too much effort to go upstairs; she shrugged out of her dress and into one set of new clothing. Underwear still damp, but something to worry about later.

Better; her legs no longer under the now stifling constraints of her dress, her collar more adjustable. Better. Cooler. A long, long drink of water from the kitchen – and a water bottle for venturing back out. Would her plants be okay in this temperature? Might have to water them more often. She left Zack's clothes behind, determined to give them to him on his next visit.


	8. The Voice of the World Ringing in Her Ea

A wonderful date; a night out seeing Loveless. Zack couldn't stretch to one of the private boxes or the better seats, but it was still an experience to be in the theatre and watch as the famed play progressed. To clap her hand with the rest, see the smiles on the actor's faces when they bowed. To hear the familiar soundtrack but performed live.

And after she clutched the souvenir programme in one hand and Zack's hand in the other. They strolled away from the theatre towards the station; no pressing hurry, but the night would have to come to an end at some point; Zack had duties at the Shinra building today and she needed to sleep before tomorrow. A shame. Their time together was already so limited, but at least she could cherish each opportunity. Still hard not to wish for more time. One day perhaps. One day when neither of them would have to worry about Shinra again.

Zack paused when they drew level with a neon sign declaring the building below 'Goblin's Bar'. "Huh."

"Hmm?" Not far from the plaza now, two streets from the station, the Shinra building towering imposing nearby.

"Mako leak." He gestured with his free hand. Down the alley beside the bar something green flickered. A burst and green flecks burst from a pipe, Mako dripping from some unseen damage. "Almost looks like fireflies. Don't think I've ever seen them here. Used to get them mid-summer when it was really warm…"

He kept on speaking, kept on saying something. His voice lost beneath something else, something older, something vaster. The sound in Sector Eight faded away. Her own breathing echoed in the stillness, the rasp of air against her lips in between the slow pulse of something massive. Another burst from the Mako pipe, another cluster of falling stars and with them the whispering.

So many years since the last time? On the edge of hearing, a cacophony of what might be voices chattering incessantly. The volume ebbed and rose on some unpredictable pattern. Once her mother's voice clear in amongst the rest. Not for many years and no voice was prominent amongst the whispering now. Falling stars in the void, contrasting sharply with the darkened end of the alley.

A low moan. Not a sound made by human, nor by any monster or animal Aeris had encountered or heard of. The sound enveloped her, the pulse louder in her head. Pain. The moan was pain. Fingers itching now. She could do something. She could alleviate the pain. A rumble beneath her feet, a fresh note of distress in the voice, the scale of it almost beyond imagining. It wanted something of her. But she could not understand it. At least, not yet. A sense of familiarity, of almost making sense-

"Aeris?" Mako dripped from the pipe, forming a glowing pool on the ground. "Aeris?"

She blinked, slowly, deliberately, the pulse faded to nothing. "Yes?" Unsteady on her feet, still recovering from the contact. It was not new. Not precisely. But never so strong before, never so insistent. Her mother's voice audible up to a year after she started living with Elmyra. How much had she kept distant from the other voices, including the woman's voice whispering of a love for Elmyra?

Zack frowned. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

A deep breath. "Fine. I feel… fine." Mostly true. The disorientation was fading and her legs no longer felt weak. She forced a smile. "It's nothing." She started walking, tugging at his hand and turning into Sector Eight. She maintained the pretence all the way to the station, continued her performance it when she kissed Zack goodbye, and waited until the train had slid out of the station.

She relaxed again, slumping down into a vacant seat, utterly exhausted. Creases in the programme; she had gripped it hard at some point. Still some time before the train arrived in Sector Five. Enough time to recover. Her strength returned in ebbs, tiredness leaving her limbs. A decidedly unexpected encounter. But not unwanted or unfamiliar. A echo in the dim past; stepping from the train, her mother clutching the bleeding wound in her side when something similar had happened. All too much for her; it only added to her distress as her mother collapsed on the station. If Elmyra had not passed by-

Not worth thinking about. The other moments from childhood milder, less intense. Until now. But already a desire to go back. To hear those voices, to feel the pulse. She had to; she was not afraid.

On every trip Aeris subsequently made to the Upper Plate, she would revisit the alley beside Goblin's Bar. No one ever seemed to bother fixing the leak; the falling stars were always waiting for her. Aeris would stare into the Mako sparks and let the pulse and voice of the world ring in her ears.


End file.
